okay me & my boyfriend were having oral sex and i felt a pinch i thought he had bitten me but when i asked him he said no them my labia got swollen, hard is now purple it hurts to walk and sit i have no idea what to do and I'm so scared please someone tell me what i have thank you.

rlkichmo....I'm sorry you don't have insurance. That make life for we girls really hard when something goes wrong. As I said before, with the abcess or cyst, if ALL of the material isn't expressed, you can get reoccuring abcesses. If it is still coming back and causing problems, you REALLY DO need to see a GYN. Planned Parenthood offers exams based on income, so you might be able to get care there for free or at least a much lower price than a traditional office!! Take care of yourself!!!

Well I am really freaked out right now...... this has happen to me twice after me and my boyfriend had sex... it did hurt when I went to the bathroom.... but the next day it was gone...dont know what is it or what to do... and both times we first messed around and i had jeans..is that a factor to it??? PLEASE HELP I AM REALLY FREAKED OUT!!

OMG, some of your replies have really freaked me out. I am currently teaching English in Korea right now and don't have the luxury of a GYN, let alone a doctor who speaks English. My labia is inflammed HUGE right now, and I am freaking out! I have been fighting what I though was a yeast infection for the last 3 weeks now. Everytime it would go away, I would have sex and then it would come back full force, full itchiness again. I've also been getting these cystic sores (more like large zits) along my inner thigh and bum, in the creases. They blister and turn into sores due to friction from every day walking and sitting. I at first thought that both these problems were separate and related to the crazy high humidity I've been experiencing for the first time here in Korea. I have never sweat and been so oily in my life. I just thought my body was adjusting to the climate. But after treating for a yeast infection for the third time now and using anti-fungal ointment on the outer regions regulary, as well as trying sitz baths and looser fitting clothes and boiling my underwear to prevent continued infection, the problem is back and worse than ever. This inflammation only happened once before about one week ago, after having sex. Yet again, I had sex, and now the area is swollen more than the first time. It's really scaring me, and I don't know what to do! I went to do the women's hospital here 4 days ago, before the swollen part started, and was concerned about a yeast infection, so I think that's all she looked for and all she treated me for. Now I'm worried its something worse. Why would my inner labia be so swollen right now? They look like they're going to explode! And the edges of the labia are drying. My clitoris is pretty swollen too. I don't have the option of getting abscesses removed as far as I know. I can't even communicate properly with the doctors here. Is there any other options that anyone can help me with? I can hardly walk properly right now, and sitting down hurts. A part of me just wants to wait and let the swelling go down, but what if it just keeps coming back. I want to be able to have sex with my partner again without fear of this happening again and againg. Does anyone have some experienced advice with this, or even semi-medical help they can give? I would really appreciate it. I'm feeling quite helpless at the moment. And very worried.

I had sex last night and it's good to know I am not alone. Thank you jaalzada for sharing because it was similar to what happened to your wife but not as severe. After sex I felt my inner right labia was swollen and hard, balloon like protruding past my vagina. . I was freaking out but my guy was telling me to just relax and it should go away, probably just swollen. This morning luckily it went down. the day has gone by and just a little tender. Luckily not as bad as what everyone has explained happened to them as far as discomfort. I've noticed i've been having problems when having sex due to not being wet enough or being to rough and too long. Does this kind of thing come back again, should i seek further treatment, but i guess if it's gone away there's nothing to treat....

Mine got swollen during sex and have been left distorted, painful and swollen all of the time - this was THREE YEARS AGO!!

I have seen two GPs and two gynes, all of them told me to get lost basically. One laughed in my face. They say it looks normal yet if I use steriod cream then the swelling does come down a lot, but when I stop using the cream it gets swollen again. It looks like there is a lump or growth on one side. I am dealing with a lot of pain and have been single for two years because I can't bear anyone to see it. I've been told the pain is all in my head. The only one who took me seriously was my GP who said that sometimes if an area gets very swollen it doesn't always go back to normal, and the area can get damaged, like after childbirth for instance. I would be up for surgery - anthing - but I can't find a doctor who takes me seriously. It has interfered with my life intensely and I can't even wear jeans because it pokes out and rubs. I have cried so much over this.

Hey everyone! I feel so embarrassed about this, I thought I was the only one!

I'm not too big on sex, and Wednesday 4th August I had sex with my partner of 3 and a half years. I'm always sore after sex, 95% of the time anyways. I thought because I usually have pain that it'll go away the next day like usual, but it didn't! I've been itching like a dog with fleas! I guess it doesn't help as I shave, but I know I didn't cut myself. My whole vaginal area is itchy, so so itchy! Especially my labia minora as my left size has swollen, but not as huge as a golf ball. I have quite a tidy vagina, where everything is hidden if you know what I mean and now this has happened, it pokes out and rubs on my underwear or when I walk I can feel it! I can honestly say, I prefer to be a man, they've got it so easy it's unreal!!! Do you advise me to go see my GP? I am in the UK - London by the way, cannot find anything in the UK about this. Can I not put some Sudocrem on to relief the pain? xxx

Yes see your doctor Princess. They might give you a cream to bring swelling down.

NOTE FOR ANYONE with swelling - I have found something that really helps. Drink half a pint of pineapple juice every day. I am doing this and mine is almost back to normal and the pain has gone. I still have a small lump left which I think is scar tissue, but the pineapple juice has really really helped with general swelling so far. I tried other anti-inflammatories years ago that didn't help. I have now added bromelain tablets as well as the pineapple juice. Anyone please try this and let me know if it helps you.

I've had the same problem with the swollen labia minora. It's happened 3 times and only to my left side. It's itchy and uncomfortable to where I can't walk without feeling like a duck waddling and i have a discharge and odor. It was also accompanied by 2 sores right on the inside of my vagina this time. I went to my OBGYN the first time it happened-like a year ago- but there was nothing wrong.. After about a week the last time it happened the swelling went down but I still had a discharge and used Yeast infection medicine and that went away but it had already started going away on its own so I thought it could've been just a yeast infection but idk. But if that's the case and it was just a yeast infection why does it keep coming back and why did it bring company this time?

Right now my left Labia Minora is swollen and painful. It's not bigger than pea and it is not itchy, yet it still really hurts. I haven't had sex recently, and got my period around the same time it appeared. Because I have my period, i don't really feel comfortable making a gyno appointment. Could be the type of pad i've been wearing or something related to my period? I've done research on this and found that it could be a Bartholin's Gland Cyst, however those actually have a round cyst... my left labia minora is swollen in general. If anyone has any information on this i would greatly appreciate it! Thank you!

I'm in need of help too . I'm 15 and I haven't had any sexual relationships yet , but a week ago I started getting perineal pains , I thought it was nothing and ignored it . But two days ago the right side of my labia minora started hurting/burning . When I checked to see what's wrong I saw that it was swollen and any tiny touch I did to it , it hurt badly . I don't have any sores . But the skin around my vaginal area feels raw and dry and I tried moisturizing but it didn't work . I have on bad odor down there , and my discharge seems to be normal . I'm scared to tell my mom that I need to go to the GYNO because she will think I'm sexually active while I'm still a virgin . Please help =) Thank You .

Hummph, I had the doctors tell me I have Excema(spel chek). My inner ear, parts of my scalp, external labia just started to itch about 4 yrs ago. My inner ear & labia still itch everyday all the time. Another Dr told me that I itch because I am itching....what. Basically saying that I itch myself, cause a break in skin which itches and then I itch it. I tried shaving when it first started which had no affect one way or another but I was able to see me skin reaction to whatever this is. SWOLLEN HUGE, dry, thin scabs, broken skin. Tried steriod creams of all sorts. I finally gave up. I do all I can not to itch, it is like trying to ignore chicken pox, but my labia it permenantly swollen. I can not believe there are so many of us with this problem & we are ALL BEING IGNORED or brushed off. My husband does not have it so I guess it can not be passed on. I was also told at my age (31 at the time) that my body just changes. I believe it is a reaction to foods, all the junk we injest as far as, fake sugars, preservatives etc...and what our bodies absorb. Chemicals through soaps, lotions, shampoos, cleaning supplies, powders, blah blah blah. I am even tired of hearing myself talk about this AGAIN. So what do we do....grow our own gardens, stop eating ANY dairy, make our own soaps & shampoos, grow our own sugar cane???? If anyone ever comes up with a solution you'd better post it for us. :0)

My inner left labina has been swollen for two days. It's kinda uncomfortable to sit with my legs closed. I havn't been sexually active for almost a month. I'm almost 16 and I'm pregnant. I have an appt with my OBGYN in two days and maybe I don't touch it for a while it'll go away. This is the second time I've gotten this and I'm starting to get scared. I don't want anything to go wrong or harm the baby in any way. If any one could help me that would be great. If the swelling doesn't go away by wendsday then I'm bringing it up to my OBGYN, maybe she can help me with this problem too.

Ok, I have a swollen labia right now and it's painful. I had the same thing a couple months ago and it went away so I didn't think about it again.

I'm pregnant, so I'm aprehensive about any treatment I may be given and I can't afford any sick time from work until my maternity leave, though I could schedule some personal days at least a month in advance. So I'm hoping this is something that can either be handled in a day or put off until I get time off.

hi guys, just like what Jaalzada said.
its like a clogged pore, not due to poor hygiene.
i've had this problem too, just a couple days ago after me and my partner had intercourse.
my left labia was swollenn and it was 4 times bigger than my right labia, i've used icepack and thought it would probably get better the next day, but it didnt. so i went to see my family doctor, he told me to go to hospital straight way. i've had a small operation to remove whats inside the swollen part. the operation only lasted about 15 mins. after that i was in hospital for another day and the doctors gave me hips of antibiotics and paracetamols to treat the swollen part and the pain.

just to tell all the ladies..this is a very common problem, but get treated as soon as you realise it is getting worst and there is no need to be ashamed of.

I am having a similar issue. I had sex with my boyfriend today and the right side of my inner labia is completely swollen and it is causing me extreme discomfort. We used a different kind of condem with different lubricant, could this have been the cause? Or is it perhaps extreme friction as some people have been saying? Honestly it does not look like a "zit" it is just red and probably four times its usual size. Are antibiotics the best solution in all cases? Are there perhaps more simple treatments? And what is the exact cause? Just a simple clogging?

This started happening to me when I got a new boyfriend. He does not have STDs, and neither do I, but I couldn't understand the swelling of my labia I had after sex. It would get hard, numb, red, and HUGE. In my very unprofessional opinion, I think it's just irritation and maybe some bacteria. He is significantly larger than my last bf, and if we keep having intercourse, it may become "raw" or dry. This causes a lot of irritation and the body's natural defense is to swell and become red. I now use witch hazel wipes (for hemorrhoids) and put ice on it afterward. This seems to help. I've also heard hydrocortisone and tea tree oil helps.

I am nursing a yeast infection right now and I must have contaminated myself with bacteria or something to relieve some itching. I looked down and one side of my inner labia had swollen so much that I almost panicked. I googled around and there is not much information on this at all. I decided to use a clove of garlic (since that is what I use when I get yeast infections) I cut one clove in half and inserted it into my vagina, not very far in. It was lodged right at the entrance so that it could touch the labia. By the morning the swelling had gone down completely, there was still a little bit of pain, but nothing compared to the night before. I think I had tiny cuts on the skin from the burning itch of a yeast infection that was still healing. I took a warm shower (no soap touched the area) and went about my day. I really wanted to share this information since it is one of the few forums out there and it really calmed me down to know that I was not alone. Hope this helps someone else!

I had this same problem for the first time last night and was extremely freaked out (I almost couldn't sleep). I was just coming off of my period, and just the tiniest bit of friction seemed to do it in my case...
I've had "dry" sex and friction before and haven't had this issue.
Needless to say, it's nice to know I'm not alone (or a freak of nature).
But I'm not sure that if you have this, it's always going to need an operation. In the morning, the swelling had gone down slightly. I took a hot bath to try to ease the remaining inflammation, and then took an ibuprofen tablet. It seems to have done the trick, because it's almost back to normal. No operation needed every time, I think.
I hope this doesn't keep happening, and I can't say that it won't get more serious.